Her column, EmBody Your Brave, is so real. Kyeli writes from the gut, not shying away from pain or discomfort in her self-examination.

Her honesty, in turn, helps US be brave & uncover our own truths.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is this: when you feel that urge to bottle up, to disconnect from your wildly feeling heart, plant your feet and put your hand on your heart, take a deep breath, and ride it out. Let the feels surge through you, surf the wave, and stay connected to yourself and your brave.

— Kyeli Smith, The Phoenix Soul: Messy Grace

Kyeli invited us in this issue to take a selfie in the moment of crisis . . . right in the midst of our inner turmoil, the very thing we are tempted to hide or gloss over.

Feel it all.

Love your whole (messy!) self.

The image of me here was from a moment this morning when my five-month-old had been screaming inconsolably. He'd finally collapsed into sleep on me & I could breathe again. Capturing this moment helped me process and move through the feeling of overwhelm, ending with this thought: "You did it, mama. Good work."

Your turn, beloved. Join our hashtag to go with Kyeli's column: #embodyyourbrave find us there & explore the prompts she shares in the magazine!

Want a chance to see your image in our digital pages? Add #thephoenixsoul too and I'll know you've given permission to print with your IG name included.